FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[Nescacman]

Amherst-Williams can be closer than expected and Williams won't run up score like Trinity. Won't be as bad as you think.

Reality check here...Purple Cows defense shut out Wes and only allowed Hartford State to score 3 points...both of those offense are light years better than Lord Jeffrey's...yes, Lord Jeffrey could get lucky and score a TD, but we don't see it....

If "closer than expected" means it is a ONLY a 28 point win for the Ephs, than yes, it COULD BE closer than we expect...

Friends, these are two programs going opposite directions looking at the forest through the trees...

I believe I was right, Nescacman despite your smug response. A 5 point game qualifies as  close one. Must be a blow finding out that you're not all knowing.

You know the saying Polar, "even a blind squirrel finds nuts"...apparently, the Ephs felt the pressure today which is understandable given the programs history over the last 10 years...kudos to them for getting it done though...our correspondents tell us their was a large crowd in attendance in Amhurst, many without masks (uh oh!)....

Unfortunately for you, we were not wrong about the Polars porous defense, although we thought their offense would come through in the end, which it did not...as we have said, same old results with a bit more flair...

Looked like experimentation day today around the NESCAC with several teams trying out new some new toys in preparation for the 2022 season...

More thoughts tomorrow on the Wes/Hartford State game (and others) but it looks like we may have a new contender for DPOTY in Wesleyan's Danny Banks who should hands down win DPOTW...congratulations to him...

[D3FLETCH]

Bowdoin defense was solid today (By Hammer Standard). Passing offense has been terrible for 2nd half of the season.   

[Zlax45]

Photos from the Amherst and Williams game

https://www.foley-photography.com/Football/College-Football/2021-Season/Williams-at-Amherst

[lumbercat]

Costa did not go for Bates today- Covid

Almost unbelievable following being knocked out of Colby game in the first half. He played 7 and a half games this year, a shame.- he would have thrown for 400 yards against the Hamilton pass rush and secondary today- Conts D evidently decimated by injury.

Nonetheless a great performance by Costa's successor Colton Bosseleit with a 47 yard dime to seal the win with 4 seconds left in a tie game.

Watched the Colby Bowdoin game on the internet- stadium seemed lifeless compared to the electric atmosphere in Brunswick last Saturday night. Announcer said in the second half "more students seem to be drifting in to the stadium"

A note to NSN who do great job job with the internet webcasts for the NESCAC. Please don't change our Bates play by play guy- He's great. The Colby announcer is the worst. Keep him in Waterville. I know we are all used to the polished pros we see on network sports coverage but please Craig, give the basics......at least give down and distance regularly for a starter.

For Bowdoin a lot of similarities tonight to the Bates game last week. Bears again came out tonight and pounded the run with the best back in the league with great success in the first half. As the game progresses they seem to go to Eden too much. Like Bates, Colby figured out a way to contain the great RB and that totally shifted the momentum a lot like the Bates game.

As for Bowdoin D it's feast or famine. They are a gambling, guessing defense. Against Bates in the first half they looked like the 85 Bears but after Bates made adjustments the game changed.  Bates coach Argast said it best- "A bunch of small fast guys running all over the place with different stunts and games is a huge problem until you have the opportunity to figure out some adjustments"

Bowdoin has got to get bigger on Defense but they are not alone in that challenge among most of their NESCAC peers. It's hard to do.
For years the Bowdoin D has been small, attempted to rely on quickness and this far precedes the Hammer regime. Not sure BJ is small by necessitiy or by choice.

[Nescacman]

We're sitting here drinking our coffee, watching a replay of the Wes/Hartford State game, and trying to figure out how the Cards didn't win that game...you create 5 turnovers (4 picks against a QB who only threw 2 in the preceding 8 games), win the time of possession battle and don't get destroyed with penalties you normally win, right? Hats off to Hartford State on somehow coming away with the win...

More thoughts on this game (and the others) later... 

[PolarCat]

Congratulations to the Ephs, and to the Maimaron family after a challenging year.  Richly deserved, and a stellar comeback for the program after the Kelton Dark Years. 

For me, this tweet of the final play in the Hamilton Bates game captures the essence of everything that is good about D3 football.  Tied up, 13 seconds on the clock, ball at midfield, FY QB standing in for the team leader, and OMG what a dime.  I hope that the Bobcats can turn this "Juice" into some good recruiting classes and follow the Raymond template.  God knows they need depth - Special Teams allowed the opening kickoff to be run back, and the kicking team missed yet another PAT - but maybe the administration will wake up and realize this sort of jubilation is good for the school.

Thanks to my fellow posters for an entertaining year - a much needed bit of normalcy in some peculiar times.  Happy Holidays to all, stay well, and I look forward to reconvening next year.

I can't figure out how to link directly to the video on this board, but click on the link, and watch the second video "My view":

https://twitter.com/i/status/1459650803912916994

[D3FLETCH]

Costa did not go for Bates today- Covid

Almost unbelievable following being knocked out of Colby game in the first half. He played 7 and a half games this year, a shame.- he would have thrown for 400 yards against the Hamilton pass rush and secondary today- Conts D evidently decimated by injury.

Nonetheless a great performance by Costa's successor Colton Bosseleit with a 47 yard dime to seal the win with 4 seconds left in a tie game.

Watched the Colby Bowdoin game on the internet- stadium seemed lifeless compared to the electric atmosphere in Brunswick last Saturday night. Announcer said in the second half "more students seem to be drifting in to the stadium"

A note to NSN who do great job job with the internet webcasts for the NESCAC. Please don't change our Bates play by play guy- He's great. The Colby announcer is the worst. Keep him in Waterville. I know we are all used to the polished pros we see on network sports coverage but please Craig, give the basics......at least give down and distance regularly for a starter.

For Bowdoin a lot of similarities tonight to the Bates game last week. Bears again came out tonight and pounded the run with the best back in the league with great success in the first half. As the game progresses they seem to go to Eden too much. Like Bates, Colby figured out a way to contain the great RB and that totally shifted the momentum a lot like the Bates game.

As for Bowdoin D it's feast or famine. They are a gambling, guessing defense. Against Bates in the first half they looked like the 85 Bears but after Bates made adjustments the game changed.  Bates coach Argast said it best- "A bunch of small fast guys running all over the place with different stunts and games is a huge problem until you have the opportunity to figure out some adjustments"

Bowdoin has got to get bigger on Defense but they are not alone in that challenge among most of their NESCAC peers. It's hard to do.
For years the Bowdoin D has been small, attempted to rely on quickness and this far precedes the Hammer regime. Not sure BJ is small by necessitiy or by choice.

0% chance Costra would have thrown for 400 yards. Might have rushed for 200

[lumbercat]

Could have done both. The kid threw for 380- Costa easily could have thrown for 400+

[D3FLETCH]

Could have done both. The kid threw for 380- Costa easily could have thrown for 400+

Yes and he is a much better thrower than Costra. Costra would have been running and running.

[nescac1]

Awesome video from Bates!  To win three games with all the adversity they faced this year is no easy feat ...

[The Mole]

Offense disappeared since second half of the Middlebury game--3 TDs in the last 14 quarters. 59 yards rushing on 32 carries. We got beat upfront again. Not scoring before the half was a killer. No Tomlinson in second half and 42 spying Estevez were big factors. Hard to win a game MINUS 5 in turnovers, but the Bants did it. Their D was great all day holding us to 237 yards. Could not believe they were trying to throw the ball in some of those situations, kept us in the game. Ironic as the Cards D improved after Tufts game (55 PA) and offense would muster just 38 points rest of the way (Defense scored in 2nd half vs Midd). Slew of players returning, need to get more physical on the lines--not being able to run effectively and stop the run last two games was evident.

We're sitting here drinking our coffee, watching a replay of the Wes/Hartford State game, and trying to figure out how the Cards didn't win that game...you create 5 turnovers (4 picks against a QB who only threw 2 in the preceding 8 games), win the time of possession battle and don't get destroyed with penalties you normally win, right? Hats off to Hartford State on somehow coming away with the win...

More thoughts on this game (and the others) later...

[muleshoe]

Costa did not go for Bates today- Covid

Almost unbelievable following being knocked out of Colby game in the first half. He played 7 and a half games this year, a shame.- he would have thrown for 400 yards against the Hamilton pass rush and secondary today- Conts D evidently decimated by injury.

Nonetheless a great performance by Costa's successor Colton Bosseleit with a 47 yard dime to seal the win with 4 seconds left in a tie game.

Watched the Colby Bowdoin game on the internet- stadium seemed lifeless compared to the electric atmosphere in Brunswick last Saturday night. Announcer said in the second half "more students seem to be drifting in to the stadium"

A note to NSN who do great job job with the internet webcasts for the NESCAC. Please don't change our Bates play by play guy- He's great. The Colby announcer is the worst. Keep him in Waterville. I know we are all used to the polished pros we see on network sports coverage but please Craig, give the basics......at least give down and distance regularly for a starter.

For Bowdoin a lot of similarities tonight to the Bates game last week. Bears again came out tonight and pounded the run with the best back in the league with great success in the first half. As the game progresses they seem to go to Eden too much. Like Bates, Colby figured out a way to contain the great RB and that totally shifted the momentum a lot like the Bates game.

As for Bowdoin D it's feast or famine. They are a gambling, guessing defense. Against Bates in the first half they looked like the 85 Bears but after Bates made adjustments the game changed.  Bates coach Argast said it best- "A bunch of small fast guys running all over the place with different stunts and games is a huge problem until you have the opportunity to figure out some adjustments"

Bowdoin has got to get bigger on Defense but they are not alone in that challenge among most of their NESCAC peers. It's hard to do.
For years the Bowdoin D has been small, attempted to rely on quickness and this far precedes the Hammer regime. Not sure BJ is small by necessitiy or by choice.

What a great win for the Mules to seal their 3rd straight CBB title!

Gritty performance in the second half after being outplayed for 2+ quarters. After Bowdoin took a 10-0 lead it was all Mules all the time - TDs on 3 straight drives and Bowdoin never crossed midfield again. I think the key halftime adjustment was Colby running the ball from under center, which beat down the polarcubs front 7 and opened up the passing game in the 4th quarter to keep the Mule Train rolling. Great way to cap off a great career for Matty Hersch and the other seniors.

Agree with lumber that the announcer was awful, I don't think he knows much about football tbh. We need to get Coach Noyes back in the booth!

Will be tough to lose a 3-year starter at QB next year, but it seems like there's a lot of youth in Waterville that gained a ton of experience this year. Coach Cos definitely has this program heading in the right direction!

[JEFFFAN]

Kudos to Williams for its undefeated season and for holding off a surprisingly gutsy Amherst team yesterday.   Having attended the Trinity vs Amherst game last week, I did not see a close game occurring but close it was.   Probably could have bet a lot of money that the Lord Jeffs would not have more first downs than Williams!   The game never felt threatening in terms of Amherst winning even with the opportunities at the end.   Terrific career for the Duxbury kid and the other seniors.   This was not a team in the GOAT conversation but a very good one regardless.

Unrelated to football, the Amherst tailgate felt like a bad light beer.   Literally a shadow of what the tailgates of 20/30/40 years ago were.   Sad to say but the tailgates, like almost everything at Amherst, have been Biddyfied meaning turned into boring nothingness.  Alas.

Thanks to this crew for a fun season of reading about NESCAC football.   A welcome addition after a year off!

[lumbercat]

Could have done both. The kid threw for 380- Costa easily could have thrown for 400+

Yes and he is a much better thrower than Costra. Costra would have been running and running.

Yeah Right Fletcher- I get it, The FY QB is a better passer than Costa and Baker Mayfield is a better passer than Aaron Rodgers.

[SpringSt7]

A couple quick thoughts on the Amherst game, and some longer thoughts on this Williams team and outgoing senior class:

-Williams had a number of chances to put this game away but were surprisingly ineffective in short yardage situations. John Rooney's injury proved to be bigger than expected as Amherst stuffed Nicholas up the middle several times throughout the game, including a key 4th down in the first half down 14-6, while Nicholas' goal line fumble was a lifeline for the Mammoths. Duborow in particular was a handful. DE Ian Devine was a bigger loss on the defensive side of the ball as well, Peterson really had a lot of time to throw for most of the game without the threat of the NESCAC leader in sacks.

-There was never any reason to go away from running the ball at any point throughout this season but man did the Ephs look good in the air yesterday. Stola had his best game of the year, just some vintage connections with his roommate on the deep ball, one for 60+ yards and of course the 38 yard pickup with their heels in the end zone. Burke looked like the player we all thought he could be as well, just such a special combination of size, physicality, and athleticism in both tight situations and in the open field.

-The statline will not flatter him but Amherst seemed to have maybe found something in QB Chad Peterson. The numbers were not great and neither were the 3 INTs but he made some seriously big throws in key spots as the game went on. He certainly looks the part between his size and arm strength and could make a leap after the offseason. Amherst is not in as dire of a situation as some are making them out to be in my opinion.